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Folding Camping Trailers: The Advantages of Buying a Pop-Up

© Thomas Stephens Sr.

Known as fold-downs or folding camping trailers by RV manufacturers, most owners simply refer to them as pop-ups. They provide a fun, inexpensive passport to the outdoors.

About Folding Camping Trailers

Fold-down trailers are lightweight units that break down and store, folded for travel, inside its solid roof and base trailer. The sides are usually made of canvas, supported by a telescoping steel or aluminum frame. Today’s cranking systems allow for quick and easy setup and breakdown.

Large, well-insulated, plastic windows provide campers with a feeling of being outdoors. It is this 'open-air’ atmosphere that sets the pop-up apart from other type RVs; a feeling of being in a tent, with the comforts and amenities of a travel trailer or RV.

Advantages of Pop-Ups: Light and Strong

Just about everyone who owns a medium sized car, minivan, SUV or pick-up truck can safely tow a pop-up. Their low profiles mean better gasoline mileage and easier towing. Even the larger models have reasonable base weights. Most of today’s SUVs, larger model vans and small pick-ups can haul larger units around.

There are other size and weight advantages to pop-ups. Many campgrounds and parks place length restrictions on RVs. The majority of folding trailers will not have a problem getting into campsites. Unlike most RVs, pop-ups can be unhitched from the tow vehicle and maneuvered by hand into tight spots. This trick also comes in handy when storing or parking the unit at home.

Pop-Ups are Inexpensive

Cost is another big advantage folding trailers have over other type RVs. For first-timers, young families and the occasional camper, this can be a major factor. The average cost of a well-equipped pop-up is around $5,300, with a range from $3,300 to $10,500. There is a lot of value and many features and amenities included for a relatively inexpensive investment.

Besides the many standard features, Jayco provides a lifetime warranty on its lifter system, roof, floor and frame. Coleman and Damon, among other major manufacturers, offer similar warranties. Beyond the initial purchase price, pop-ups are much less expensive to maintain than other RVs, less to insure, and usually don’t require the purchase of a large vehicle just to tow them.

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